Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1887-01-03
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
SOME CURIOUS CUSTOMS or THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
How the President, Senators, Judges and
Representatives. Entsrtain-Cards and
Cailins-Drinking in wsshington-ons
of Representative Joe Cannon's Stories.
Especial corsspopdsace,1

House, and the question Is being discussed
among the society leaders here as to whether
dancing will not bs permitted at some OF
them. President Cleveland thinks thss any.
thing less stately than the minust would
hardly comport with the dignity of tns lady
Of the White House. and he Is correct II il
probable that there will Be nothing Of the
kind, and that only lunches, state dinners
and the usual receptions VIII be given Mrs.
Whitney expects to have house full OF com
pany, and the wives of Secretaries Manning,
Endicott and Villas will entertain to a greater
extent than they did last year. Ths newnesS
Of their positions has worn off They feed
more at home, and there seems to be q gen
eral disposition to make tho short session Of
congress exceedingly lively while ID Lasts L,
the meantime the various ladies Of Washing
ton have been laying in their stock o. winter
cards 1t costs a nice little sum b pay the
engraving bills OF Washington society, and
every person who expects to go about here in
a fashionable manner during the season must
lay out all the way from $40 TO $50 in paste
boards There is an etiquette Of cards at
Washington which is very embarrassing 10
strangers, and some OF the new bellies lie
awake many nights during their first few
weeks at Washington wondering why Mrs
Senator Blank left her card with one cor
uer turned down, while another lady equally
IS noted doubled up her card in the middle,
and a third presented it without a crease
Washington etiquette is entirely different
from that which prevails in other parts Of
the country. The society is 9 sort OF court
circle, and it has rules Of its own. The presi-
dent Is ut the top, and an invitation from
him supersedes all other invitations whatso-
ever. He receives calls but returns none. He
fixes his hours, and Washington society has
to bow TO them. ID is the same with his wife
Mrs. Cleveland is not expected to return
calls, though she does accept invitations out
to lunch, and has been wined and dined by
variols ladies Of the cabinet During the
season she gives a general reception on Sat
urday afternoon. and she has certain even
ingS Of the week upon which she is at home to
her Intimate friends. She stAnds beside the
president in the Blue room at his general
evening receptions, and she sits opposite him
at his state dinners. The president - . rule
does not take his wife out to dinner This
pleasure is given to the guest whom the presi-
dent most delights to honor, and the order
of precedence at a White House state dinner
tabh Is matter Of great Importance 10
Washington society. There have been dipio-
matte quarrels among the legations hero as
to what ministers have the right to the hands
of certain ladies on such occasions, and at one
time British minister named Merry made
this the subject of some very angry com
plants TO his home government It Is not
that some such question may
come up during the next season
p,sagfNapt Al Ill
to his state dinners, and understand that
viii do likewise. The attendance
upon a state dinner is ono of the biggest
events in congreSsnan's social career, and
the greener ones Of new members discuss
among themselves as to the clothes they
shall wear, and instances have been known Of
members from back districts who have hired
evening suits for the occasion. A swallow
5ail coat and a white necktis are de riguer on
'uch occasions. The ladies usually s-,pesr in
iresSes decidedly deccollette, and nothing but
ow -neck and short sleeves are to b seen
hsn-Mrs. Hayes, prim Msshodiss q. sac
VIE 'eaR-1--..-~s--sss--scfn n1soanu 70 stpeno
he Inauguration she had nothing but high
lecked dresses in her wardrobe, and it is said
hat Mrs Grant on this account wore q drsA
which buttoned up closr 70 the throat ~ the
ast dinner Of President Grants which was
given i'll honor Of the incoming president, Mr..
Hayes
Iheard . story during Arehur's adminis-
ration as 20 q backwoods Congressman who
Attempted to drink the water out Of . finger
bowl which be took for Lemonade, and that
President Arthur frowned as the subdued
litter which went around among thoss who
noticed it
Secretary Garland will not 20 into society
his winter, and it Is one of the questions Of
-ossip as 10 whether Lamar Is TO appear with
, young wife or not. The wife Of one Of ths
other secretaries tells me that the lady whom
Lamar is courting recently said that abe
IL the old secretary persisted In his
owe making she would really have 10 marry
him 10 get rid OF him" II she doss this dur
ng the coming session Lamar and his nsw
wife will be leading social figures and Missis-
,ippi will kosp up its end in the court circle.
This same lady tells me that Garland doss
not refuse to wear a dress coat out Of pure
but that it Is out Of respect to the
memory Of his wife. He has not gone int
,ociety since his wife died, and hs doss not
now attend the White Houss receptions or
hose Of his fellow members of the eabinst.
He spends his entire time in his efios At his
home, and the cabinet ministers and the pres
dent have ceased to count upon him - enc
of their prospective guests. Another man
who does not wear q dress coat Is Senator
George, Of Mississippi, and one Of hs tsliew
,enators tells me that George promised his
constituents when he came to Washington
that be would not put on q steel pen coat nor
ride in a carriage.
Returning TO the curiosities Of Washington
stiquette, the stranger here always calls upon
the old residents, and members Of the lower
classes Of Washington are expected 20 call
upon those OF the higher classes. Constitu-
ents are expected to call upon their congress
men, the wives Of representatives call apon
the wives of senators, the ladies Of congress
men pay their respects first to those of eabi-
not ministers, and all bow down to the presi-
dent and the lady OF the White House. There
have been e number Of questions of prsce-
ience as 10 the rights of the ladies Of the cabi-
net over those OF the senator's as 10 the first
call, and in times past it has been a question
as TO whether the cabinet ladies or the wives
Of the judges of the supreme court should be
first in social rank. When Speaker Carlisle
was first elected his wife, In the absence OF .
lady OF the White House, was looked upon O.
the frs: lady of the land, and the senator's
wives had discussion as to her precedence.
So it goes, and SO the discussions will continue.
There is little acrimony about them, and
the questions are debated over the tea tables
rather than on the rostrum-
Mrs. Cleveland recently has received pro-
test from q temperance convention in the
west against the use Of wines ct the White
House dinners and at the cabinet receptions.
I understand, however, that wine will be con-
tinued 70 be used at the state dinners, and
Ioubt not that the champagne will flow e.
freely in " ashington society As ever. Drink
irE IN Washington prevails to an alarming
extent, and there Is punch served at Wash
uSton receptions which is made up OF a mix
ture Of liquors strong enough to set the head
Of q Bacchus to whirling. There will be great
bowls Of this served at the various New
Years receptions, and there will be few
prominent houses, indeed, where the chilly
caller will not be able to get "Jisger' OF
IN, than ShaTry